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California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon vs Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor is cheaper at $179. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon or Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor?

On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor is the cheaper at $179.

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Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor
US price $240 $179
BrandCalifornia Air ToolsMetabo HPT
Released
Tank capacity gal 8 1
Max (psi) 120 125
Scfm at 90psi 2.2 0.8
Power source corded corded
Pump type oil_free oil_free
Motor hp 1 0.5
Noise dba 60 59
Release

Sources — California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon: californiaairtools.com (verified 2026-06-19). Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor: metabo-hpt.com (verified 2026-06-19).

What's the difference between the California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon and Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Tank capacity gal: California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon 8 vs Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor 1
  • Max (psi): California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon 120 vs Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor 125
  • Scfm at 90psi: California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon 2.2 vs Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor 0.8
  • Motor hp: California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon 1 vs Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor 0.5
  • Noise dba: California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon 60 vs Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor 59

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

California Air Tools 8010 Ultra Quiet 8-Gallon

No sourced tester review yet.

Metabo HPT EC28M 1-Gallon Ultra-Quiet Portable Compressor

Only one whitelisted tester (Pro Tool Reviews) published a hands-on review of this exact model, covering it as the Hitachi EC28M before the Metabo HPT rebrand. Reviewers physically used it for trim work and light framing, scored it 9.3/10, and called it a 'winner' - quiet, light, and reliable for finishing work. No independent lab measurements were metered, and no second whitelisted source tested it. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)

Praised: Ultra-quiet operation; easy to hold a conversation standing right next to it; Compact and lightweight (25.2 lbs) with a durable roll-cage/carry handle, easy for small jobs; Fast recovery time keeping up with a single trim nailer; oil-free, low-maintenance pump.

Flagged: Underpowered for fast or heavy framing - the 1-gallon tank gets outrun when working quickly.

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